A conventional switch mode current limiter usually comprises, as the name implies, a switch that limits a current. The current to the switch is measured, and if the current exceeds a certain threshold value, the switch is opened, thereby interrupting the current and stopping it from propagating beyond the switch.
According to prior art, if the switch is opened, the current is diverted to another circuit, usually a diode, a so called “free wheel diode”, in order to maintain a path for the current, which otherwise might have caused damage.
This is a problem in particular when the current limiter is connected to a circuit or a load with inductive components.
A conventional switch mode current limiter is usually connected between a DC-voltage source and a load.
The free wheel diode which is used in conventional switch mode current limiters is quite expensive, and only has a limited ability to handle the diverted free wheel current, for example if the diverted current is in the form of a brief but intense current pulse.